That Eurasian

by Aleph Bey

“To prevent the commission of crime, prevent the manufacture of criminals.”

The Collector was one of our delighted guests and could not be lavish enough of his praise, and ever afterwards was one of the best friends of the Eurasians, giving employment to a number of them. Self help leads to other help, and the gods help those who help themselves. He was often a welcome visitor to Our Club and did not hesitate to make his tiffin of our soup, excellent bread and butter, and to praise our coffee, better, he said, than he could get at home and asked the privilege of getting his supply of bread and butter from our kitchen.

I need scarcely say that with our opening began a new era among the Eurasians. They took upon themselves a self reliance, an independence and an ambition to make themselves, what Mr. Jasper called in his address, true men and women. Even the very poorest of them walked more erect, when they could think of being members of the club, having a place they could call their own, and not live in a perpetual fear of being snubbed and scorned where they were not wanted. Not the least of the incitements to their energy and ambition was the interest “Our Club,” excited among the outsiders. Many sneered at what they called the “airs,” the Eurasians were putting on. Many were the insulting remarks that came to our ears. The lash of envy is often a greater stimulant than words of praise. A very few spoke well of our enterprise, though all seemed to feel a chagrin that we had such a grand building and much finer grounds than theirs.

Our work was not finished with the building. The management was yet to come, though as there was such an unanimity, there was little trouble. We had made our laws and rules. One of the most prominent matters was temperance. No intoxicating drinks were to be allowed on the premises. This was one of the laws fundamental and ever to remain unalterable. Mr. Jasper urged this with all his force of words. Another was that there was to be no gambling or betting of any kind, though there were fine billiard tables and other games for recreation and amusement, but no money to be involved in any game; no profanity, indecent stories and remarks, or improper behavior. Any one violating these laws was to be excluded from the privileges of the club at the discretion of the managing committee. No one was to be admitted without the payment of a fee, so small as to be within the means of the poorest. Nothing was to be donated by the club, as it was not to be a pauper asylum or a free soup kitchen, but it was assumed that the members might and should pay the fees of any they chose and purchase tickets for food. This would maintain the integrity of the club, stimulate benevolence among the members and tend to create independence in all. It was accepted as a part of our Gospel that all were to help each other, and especially those the most in need. Mr. Jasper made a point that the degradation of only one individual would affect the whole community as surely as that the smallest pebble thrown into the biggest ocean would make a ripple.

Our Club was for the development of manners, morals and mental growth, not for one day in seven, but every day in the year.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

I had a chance to indulge in one of my fads. I always respect a man who has a good fad, for there are so many aimless, jelly fish, fad-less people in the world. One of my notions that has strengthened with my years is—that much of the lack of energy in many people, the great cause of drunkenness, and of much of the crime, is the want of good, wholesome, stimulating food. “Pain is the prayer of a nerve for healthy food.” “A man is what he eats,” or as the Hindus put it, “The milk of the cow is in her mouth.”

It may seem absurd to some great lordly persons who know everything for others and little for themselves, for me to have such a thought, yet I do not know why I should not have my opinion about things as well as other people. The views of even the wisest and best men are attacked, so why need I hesitate or fear? Even the lean Cassius dared ask about the great Cæsar,—

“Now, in the name of all the gods at once, upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed—That he is grown so great?” and it is allowed by common consent that even a cat may look at a king.

I have always known from my own introspection that I had more energy to work, more charity for the poor and been less inclined to meanness, when I had good nourishing food, than when as in my school days, I was hungry and faint on watery soup and half-boiled vegetables.